He’d gotten some insight into Amy’s emotions. But he hadn’t gotten enough. With her mother here, he hoped to gain even more.
“Mom, you really should have told me you were coming for a visit,” Amy said.
“And ruin the surprise? What fun would that be?”
“None at all,” Amy muttered. “So how do we get you two out of here?”
Rose seated herself in a metal chair. “The grumpy air marshal said he’d be back. He had to confer with his colleagues.”
“Do you think they’ll do a background check like they do on the TV show COPS?” Aunt Darla asked, walking to the small window and glancing out.
“Oh, Lord.” Amy chose the nearest chair and lowered herself into it.
Roper gave Amy’s shoulder a squeeze. “Why don’t I go outside and see what I can find out.”
Amy glanced up. “I’d appreciate it.”
“Not so fast,” Rose said. “Amy introduced you and we know you’re a professional ballplayer, but she didn’t say what your relationship is. What are your intentions? Because when you come to help rescue a woman’s relatives from the hoosegow, then you must have some personal interest, yes?”
“Remember, my sister is like a professional lie detector,” Darla said. “If you’re not telling the truth, she’ll sniff it out.”
“Oh, for God’s sake, leave him alone,” Amy said. “Roper, please go find out when I can take them home,” she said, pleading with him.
Because her mother and aunt were wackier than his family, he took pity on her and agreed. “Okay. When I get back, we can discuss your questions,” he promised the women.
They reluctantly agreed.
So Roper headed out of the room to get Amy’s mother and aunt sprung. Afterward, he thought, the real fun could begin.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
HER FAMILY WAS FREE. Amy sensed Roper had signed a few autographs and promised tickets to Renegades games in order to hasten the release process. He hadn’t said, but the people who’d eventually released her mother and aunt had been huge fans, shaking Roper’s hand and thanking him. He refused to say for what.
TSA and Homeland Security actually did perform a background check on the women and discovered their penchant for getting into ridiculous trouble back in Florida. It was soon obvious terrorism wasn’t an issue. Insanity was, though, Amy thought wryly. But since the incident had been more of a misunderstanding than any kind of practical joke, the women were released into the general population of New York-complete with a behavioral warning for the future.
Amy was exhausted.
“So what are we doing tonight?” Aunt Darla asked, from her seat in the back of Roper’s car.
Amy closed her eyes and groaned. But at least they hadn’t started asking Roper questions about his intentions again.
“I need to make some calls and find you two a hotel. I’m afraid my apartment is too small,” Amy explained. “By the time I get you settled, it’ll be too late to do anything tonight.” Amy turned around in time to see her mother wink at her aunt. “What was that wink for?” Amy asked.
“You can go home and sleep. Darla and I want to hit one of the clubs,” her mother said.
“Oh, no.”
“Ladies, I think I have a solution,” Roper said. “Do you want to hear it?” he asked Amy.
She leaned her head back and nodded. “Yes, please.” She owed him more than she could say for just being here.
“Instead of a hotel, why don’t your mother and aunt share my guest room? It has two double beds and they’ll have their own bathroom. And I’ll be there to keep them company.”
Meaning he’d make sure they didn’t get into trouble by sneaking out at night.
The rest of the thought went unsaid, but it was glaringly obvious. “I couldn’t impose like that,” Amy said. No matter how good a solution he provided. Nobody should be subjected to dealing with her family twenty-four/seven.
“We’d love to!” Rose and Darla said at the same time, ignoring Amy as usual. “That’s just so kind of you. We won’t be any trouble.”
“Are your fingers crossed behind your back?” Roper asked, laughing.
“You have a season to get ready for, remember? You can’t afford any distractions,” Amy said, her heart beating out a panicked rhythm.
Not only did Roper need to focus on his career, Amy didn’t want her family getting close to the man she was trying to avoid.
“My family is a distraction for me. Your family is not,” he assured her.
“You see? We’re not a distraction.”
Amy didn’t turn around to see which one of her relatives spoke. They sounded alike and she didn’t much care.
He leaned closer, never taking his eyes from the road. “It’s different when nobody’s pulling your emotional strings,” he said softly, so only she could hear. “I can handle them and still keep all my appointments.” Roper reached out and placed his hand on her thigh.
She knew he meant to reassure her but he aroused her instead. Talk about pushing emotional buttons, this man had hers down pat.
“It’s still an imposition.”
“Not when I offer freely. Besides, they want to stay with me.”
“We do,” the two chimed in from the backseat.
Amy groaned. “It looks as if I’m outnumbered.”
“Wait until I call home and tell everyone we’re staying with the famous John Roper. You know many of our residents are originally from New York. They still follow the Renegades and you’re big news,” Darla said.
“I didn’t think you knew who I was when Amy introduced me,” Roper said, glancing at them from the rearview mirror.
Rose laughed. “Well, we didn’t want to embarrass you. We do have some sense of decorum. We know how to behave around a celebrity. Besides, who knows if the room was bugged.”
“Oh, give me a break,” Amy said. They’d obviously been watching too much television without her there to set up activities.
“We’re almost at my apartment,” Roper said.
“Good! Thank you so much for your generosity,” Rose said. “We won’t tell a single soul about your engagement to my daughter until you’re ready to announce it publicly.”
“What engagement?” Amy practically shrieked.
“The one Roper promised the guard would be happening soon, of course,” her mother said, confident she had the whole situation figured out.
“Roper?” Amy asked, her head pounding hard.
He shook his head and grinned. “I promised to speak at his son’s graduation.”
Amy swirled around in her seat. “Did you hear that, Mom?” she asked, wanting to put an end to their inaccurate assumptions once and for all.
But both women suddenly had iPod earphones on and neither one was paying any attention.
“MAYBE IT’S TIME TO GET a job,” Ben said, flipping through the Help Wanted section of the paper.
“You’re giving up?” Dave, just home from work, pulled out a Vitamin Water and guzzled from the bottle. “What happened with your brother?”
Ben had avoided seeing his friend for the past few days, embarrassed to admit he’d failed to get the necessary cash from his sibling. “He cut us all off,” Ben admitted. “Mom, Sabrina and me. Told us it’s time to stand on our own, if you can believe that.” Ben could practically feel his anger and blood pressure rise at the memory. “What does he know about how rough I’ve got it? The guy’s got the golden touch. Even with an injury, life’s easy for him,” Ben said.